Search

Phobias and Panic Disorders

Having a phobia is a form of anxiety: it goes beyond a simple fear of flying or spiders. A phobia is a specific fear of a situation or object that seriously impacts your mental space with worry and limits your activity. If you can still go on vacation or clean out the cobwebs from your closet then your fear is probably under control. But if you are suffering finding yourself over whelmed with anxiety (physically and mentally) and plan your life around avoiding a specific fear you would benefit greatly from supportive therapy.

There is no right or wrong about having a phobia. It is simple: if you are suffering, get help.

Common phobias:

Fear of animals (dogs, snakes, spiders)

Fear of flying

Fear of having a panic attack* (see below)

Fear of people or social gatherings

Fear of being trapped in a close space

Psychotherapy is a proven and effective treatment for phobias. Trained Montreal therapists can help you to re-pattern your thoughts and gain back freedom over your life.

Self-test for Phobia

Ask yourself:

On a scale of 1-10 (1 = rarely, 10 = more than once a day):

On a weekly basis how preoccupied am I with my fear?

How often do I plan my social activities around avoiding my fear?

If you are worried about your partner or a family member, feel that anxiety or fear is limiting their life or threatening your relationship, couples therapy, marriage counselling and family therapy can help create greater understanding, trust and support in a relationship, which is needed to help a loved one face their anxiety.

Panic and phobias can impact heavily on a person’s quality of life but are treatable.

What is a Panic Attack?

A panic attack is a sudden, repeated and often unpredictable attack of intense fear. Physical symptoms are felt throughout the entire body and last for several minutes or longer. Some have mistaken a panic attack for a heart attack. People who suffer from panic attacks often live in fear of having another attack and go to great lengths to prevent a re-occurrence. This can greatly discourage a person and limit their life even to the point of avoiding going to the grocery store, attending school or going to work.